Description

3.
CU Nkomo and other ministers listening to briefing ZOOM IN TO visiting Chinese official (2 shots)
0.51

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GV PAN Coach stuck in mud (2 shots)
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SV Ministers trying to push coach (2 shots)
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GV Sign reading Chibero Agricultural College
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SV Ministers and guests including Nkomo, who is talking to Minister of Agriculture Denis Norman, walking to college
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GV College building
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CU Denis Norman speaking (4 shots)
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SPEECH ON FILM (TRANSCRIPT)

SEQ. 9: NORMAN: "I'd like to congratulate the Chairman and council of Chiberto, particularly I would like to congratulate the Principal and his staff, I think they're doing a magnificent job here. We will, as you're probably well aware, from 1982 onwards, be in the position where we start to award the new Zimbabwe Diploma in Agriculture, so the students who started this year will be the first recipients of that in 1982. I'm quite convinced in my own mind that from Chibero we are turning out a first class product. A product of which we are going to have great need in the future, a product of which we are going to be justly proud."

Initials BB

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: INTRODUCTION: A big export drive is underway in Zimbabwe to ensure there's enough storage space for the record maize harvest that's expected later this year. Supplies of last year's crop are being run down to make way for an estimated 2.4 million tonnes. The new government has been quick to realise the importance of increasing agricultural capacity. On Thursday (5 March), ministers and diplomats toured one of the country's biggest training colleges with a view to future expansion.

SYNOPSIS: Chibero College is some 50 kilometres (31 miles) west of Salisbury, and it was nearby that the distinguished party inspected tobacco plants, reared by the students. The main aim of the college is to produce good farmers by providing the best technical expertise available. Many of the students go on to gain degrees in agriculture and eventually become farm managers. Joshua Nkomo, Minister without Portfolio, joined Agriculture Minister Denis Norman for the tour.

The ministers and visiting diplomats from Britain, the United States, Australia, India and China were told that at the moment there is only one agricultural officer to advise as many as 600 peasant farmers. It's hoped the college will produce the expertise necessary to eliminate that problem.

But the tour suffered some problems. The plentiful rainfall over the past few months -- a boon for the farmer and the maize crop -- made the going rather heavy. The ministers didn't hesitate to take the initiative.

Farmers at Chibero have already developed plant scrains which flourish in the climate. Zimbabwe's maize crop will certainly be abundant, as farmers rallied to the call for increased production. Agriculture Minister Denis Norman was quick to praise the work at the college.